Wire-stranding and wire-armouring machines

ABSTRACT

A BOBBIN-LOADING AND UNLOADING DEVICE FOR USE WITH A CABLE-MAKING MACHINE OF THE KIND IN WHICH BOBBINS ARE ROTATABLY SUPPORTED ON CANTILEVERED ARBORS CARRIED ON FRAMES ROTATABLE ABOUT THE MACHINE AXIS, COMPRISES A LOADING TABLE FOR SUPPORTING A BOBBIN WITH ITS AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL. THE TABLE IS CONSTRAINED TO BE RECIPROCATED IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO THE MACHINE AXIS FROM A NORMAL POSITION IN WHICH IT IS CLEAR OF A ROTATING FRAME OF THE MACHINE TO A FORWARD POSITION. AT THE FORWARD POSITION EITHER A FULL BOBBIN CAN BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE TABLE TO A CANTILEVERED ARBOR IN THE LOADING (AND UNLOADING) POSITION OR AN EMPTY BOBBIN CAN BE TRANSFERRED FROM A CANTILEVERED ARBOR TO THE TABLE. THE TABLE PREFERABLY CARRIES MEANS FOR POSITIONING A BOBBIN ON THE TABLE WITH ITS AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY COINCIDENT WITH THE AXIS OF A CANTILEVERED ARBOR IN THE LOADING POSITION AND MAY FORM PART OF A BOBBIN-CONVEYOR POSITIONED ALONGSIDE THE CABLE-MAKING MACHINE.

E. HARRIS ET AL WIRE-STRANDING AND WIRE-ARMOURING MACHINES Feb 4Sheets-Sheet i Filed April a, 1969 Feb. 16, 1971 E HARR|5 ET AL3,563,020

WIRE-STRANDING AND WIRE-ARMOURING MACHINES Filed April 8, 1969 4Sheets-Sheet 2 By M @M ttorne y Feb. 16, 1971 E HARRls ETALWIRE-STRANDING AND WIRE-ARMOURING MACHINES Filed April 8, 1969 4Sheets-Sheet 5 E. HARRIS ET Al- WIRE-STRANDING AND WIRE-ARMOURINGMACHINES Feb. 16, 1971 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed April 8, 1969 Attarne y 5 United States Patent Office 3,563,020Patented Feb. 16, 1971 3,563,020 WIRE-STRANDING AND WIRE-ARMOURINGMACHINES Edwyn Harris, Tarvin, near Helsby, and Raymond J. Pap- Worth,Hedge End, Botley, England, assignors to British Insulated CallendersCables Limited, London, England Filed Apr. 8, 1969, Ser. No. 814,339Claims priority, application Great Britain, Apr. 10, 1968, 17,269/ 68Int. Cl. D01h 9/00, 9/18 US. Cl. 57-52 20 Claims ABSTRACT F THEDISCLOSURE A bobbin-loading and unloading device for use with acable-making machine of the kind in which bobbins are rotatablysupported on cantilevered arbors carried on frames rotatable about themachine axis, comprises a loading table for supporting a bobbin With itsaxis substantially horizontal. The table is constrained to bereciprocated in a direction transverse to the machine axis from a normalposition in which it is clear of a rotating frame of the machine to aforward position. At the forward position either a full bobbin can betransferred from the table to a cantilevered arbor in the loading (andunloading) position or an empty bobbin can be transferred from acantilevered arbor to the table. The table preferably carries means forpositioning a bobbin on the table with its axis substantially coincidentwith the axis of a cantilevered arbor in the loading position and mayform part of a bobbin-conveyor positioned alongside the cable-makingmachine.

This invention relates to wire-stranding machines and wire-armouringmachines of the kind in which the wires are drawn oi from bobbins whichare rotatably supported on cantilevered arbors which are carried on orin a frame or frames rotatable about the machine axis and each of which,as the frame carrying it rotates, is or may be maintained in ahorizontal position and passes through a loading position once duringeach revolution of the frame. During operation of the machine eachbobbin is retained on the arbor carrying it by a releasable lockingdevice but can be withdrawn, when its arbor is in its loading position,by releasing the locking device. The arbors may be arranged in groupswith the axes of the arbors of a group lying in a plane normal to themachine axis or lying at an acute angle to such plane. The presentinvention is especially concerned with arrangements for loading andunloading such wire-stranding and wire-armouring machines and alsomachines constructed on similar principles but designed to lay up cablecores and wire rope strands, all such machines being included in theterm cable-making machines of the kind described.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved bobbin-loadingdevice for cable-making machines of the kind described which willsubstantially eliminate manual effort from the operation of loading suchmachines with full bobbins and removing from such machines bobbins fromwhich all or substantially all wire has been drawn oif.

By the present invention we provide a novel bobbin loading and unloadingdevice for use with a cable-making machine of the kind described whichdevice comprises a loading table for supporting a bobbin with its axissubstantially horizontal, means for moving said table in a directiontransverse to the machine axis from a normal position in which it andits bobbin are clear of the rotating frame of the machine to a forwardposition and transferring a bobbin from the table to a cantileveredarbor in the loading position, and means for transferring a bobbin froma cantilevered arbor in the loading position to the table and returningthe table to its normal position.

Where the cantilevered arbors of a group are so mounted that their axeslie in a plane normal to the machine axis, the movement of the table isin a rectilinear substantially horizontal path normal to the machineaxis and means are provided for positioning a bobbin on the table withits axis coincident or approximately coincident with the axis of acantileverd arbor in the loading (and unloading) position. In this casetransfer of a bobbin from the loading table to an arbor in the loadingposition may be effected by moving the table forward towards the machineto a position where the table lies beneath the arbor to be loaded. Thearbor may be unloaded by a retractable projection or projections on thetable engaging a flange of the bobbin on the arbor and returning thetable to its normal position.

Where the cantilevered arbors of a group are so mounted that their axeslie at an acute angle to a plane normal to the machine axis, themovement of the loading table may be in a rectilinear substantiallyhorizontal path correspondingly inclined to a plane normal to themachine axis. Alternatively, it may be in an arcuate substantiallyhorizontal path so as to bring about a change in direction of the axisof a bobbin on the table from one that is at right angles to the machineaxis to a direction coincident or approximately coincident with the axisof a cantilevered arbor in its loading (and unloading) position.

To ensure that wire is drawn off the bobbins in a cable making machineunder an appropriate tension it is necessary to apply a retarding torqueto each bobbin. This is preferably effected by mounting the bobbin on asleeve rotatably mounted on the arbor and providing some form of brakingdevice between this sleeve and its arbor. 1n this way the need to adjustthe braking torque before an empty bobbin is withdrawn and to readjustit after inserting a full bobbin is avoided. However, the operation ofreplacing an empty or nearly empty bobbin by a full bobbin involvesindexing the machine to bring the empty or nearly empty bobbin to theloading position and then either cutting the wire at some convenientPoint and Winding up the scrap end of the cut wire on to the bobbinbefore removing the bobbin or unwinding all the wire remaining on anearly empty bobbin and coiling it down adjacent to the machine beforeremoving the bobbin, inserting a full bobbin, drawing off the leadingend of the wire on that bobbin and welding it to the tail end of thewire drawn off the previous bobbin and then rotating the full bobbin totake up the slack wire. Generally, especially in the case of heavy gaugewire, it will be diicult to rotate the bobbins without removing thebraking torque, which must then be re-applied. Even if the brakingtorque is removed rotation of the heavy full bobbins involves themachine operator in considerable manual effort in cases where there maybe as many as 72 or more bobbins to be loaded into a machine.Accordingly itis a further object of this invention to provide a novelbobbinloading and unloading device which will eliminate the need forsuch manual effort and in accordance with a further feature of ourinvention our novel bobbin-loading and unloading device comprises poweroperated means for driving a bobbin on the sleeve of an arbor in theloading position in rotation in both a clockwise and a counterclockwisedirection. By such means a nearly empty bobbin in the loading positionmay be driven in a direction to unwind a part or the whole of the wireremaining on it and, if required, be driven in a counter direction towind up any scrap wire trailing from the bobbin in cases where theprocedure of cutting the wire is adopted in preference to that ofunwinding and coiling down. Similarly a full bobbin may be driven firstin a direction to unwind sufficient wire to enable the leading end ofthe wire to be welded to the tail end of the wire drawn off the previousbobbin and then in the counter direction to re-wind wire on to the fullbobbin to an extent to take up slack in the welded wires. The means fordriving the bobbins for the purposes described may comprise a rotaryclutch that can be moxed axially into and out of engagement with abobbin and/ or with the rotatable sleeve on which the bobbin is mounted,the clutch being power driven as required, preferably by a compressedair motor mounted on the loading device.

Full bobbins may be fed to the loading table of the bobbin loading andunloading device by any appropriate means but we prefer to use for suchpurpose a conveyor of the kind described and claimed in the completespecication of a co-pending application No. 814,333, filed Apr. 8, 1969that is to say, by causing the full bobbin to roll on its flanges alonga path parallel to the machine axis and on to the loading table, stopmeans being provided to arrest the rolling bobbin and position it on thetable in alignment with the axis of the arbor in the loading position.Preferably the stop means are retractible so that when necessary fullbobbins may roll right across the loading table and on to the loadingtable of another bobbin-loading device.

Empty bobbins withdrawn from the machine by the loading and unloadingdevice may be discharged from the loading table of that device by anyconvenient means but we prefer to effect discharge by arranging for theloading table to be temporarily tilted about a horizontal axis at rightangles to the machine axis to cause the empty bobbin to start rollingolf the loading table and on to a conveyor after retracting the stopmeans at the lower end of the tilted table.

Our invention also includes a cable making machine of the kind describedfitted with one or more of our novel bobbin loading and unloadingdevices. Here it is explained that although a single loading andunloading device may be used to feed and withdraw bobbins from a numberof groups of arbors in turn, we prefer to provide each group of arborswith its own bobbin-loading and unloading device. We also prefer to makethe loading table of each such device a part of a conveyor system fortransporting bobbins to and from the machine. Accordingly our inventionalso comprises the combination with a cablemaking machine of the kinddescribed comprising a plurality of groups of cantilevered arbors, of aplurality of reciprocating bobbin-loading and unloading devices, one foreach group of arbors, and a bobbin conveyor disposed alongside thecable-making machine of which sections are constituted by the loadingtables of the bobbinloading and unloading devices.

To enable the invention to be more fully understood a description willnow be given, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of an exampleof a cable-making machine of the kind described, in particular awire-armouring machine, that is, a machine for applying a plurality ofsteel wires helically around a sheathed electric cable, fitted withbobbin-loading and unloading devices of our preferred form and alsofitted with our preferred conveyor system for effecting a supply of fullbobbins to the loading devices and removing empty bobbins away from suchdevices. In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmental side elevation of the armouring machine and twobobbin-loading and unloading devices associated therewith,

FIG. 2 is a fragmental sectional view of a part of the machine taken onthe line II-II in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of a bobbin-loading device showing it in theforward (or loading) position,

FIG. 4 is a fragmental side elevation of a bobbin-loading device drawnto a larger scale and illustrating the operating parts of the device,and

FIG. 5 is a fragmental plan view of a bobbin-loading device.

Referring to FIGS. l and 2 the armouring machine is in two axiallyaligned coupled sections of which a part of one section only is shown.Each section comprises a rotatable tubular shaft 1 carrying two annulardiscs 2, of which one only is shown, having an overall diameter ofapproximately ten feet, which are spaced apart axially by a centre tocentre distance of about 8 feet. Each of the discs 2 has eighteentrunnions 3 (FIG. 2) uniformly spaced apart circumferentially on a pitchcircle of 8 feet 3 inches diameter and rotatable relative to the discabout an axis parallel to the machine axis. Each trunnion 3 carries oris integral with a substantially L-shaped bracket 4, one limb of whichprojects radially outwards with respect to the trunnion and the otherlimb of which extends in a direction normal to the plane of the disc andcarries a cantilevered arbor 5 for supporting a bobbin of Wire whichextends towards and beyond the axis of the trunnion. Alternate brackets4 of the series lie on one side of the annular disc 2; interveningbrackets of the series lie on the opposite side. Each trunnion 3 isdriven by suitable gearing in rotation relative to the disc in such away that each arbor 5 remains horizontal during rotation of the discabout the machine axis. Each L-shaped bracket 4 on the downstream sideof the disc has an extension terminating in a wire guide 6 whose axis iscoincident with that of the trunnion to which it is coupled through theL-shaped bracket. The L-shaped bracket 4 on the upstream side of thedisc each have a wire guide 7 located in the trunnion 3 itself which istubular to permit wire to pass from the upstream to the downstream sideof the disc.

Each arbor 5 carries a sleeve 11 rotatably mounted on but axiallypositioned relative to it, the external surface of the sleeve forming aseating or seatings for a bobbin B which is automatically locked inposition on the sleeve t0 preclude both axial and angular movement withrespect to the sleeve when the bobbin is slid into place on the sleeve.A plunger 12 is provided for releasing bobbinlocking latches 14, theplunger being operated by exerting a thrust on it in a direction towardsthe supported end of the arbor 5. Tension is maintained on wire beingdrawn off from a bobbin B by applying a braking torque to the rotatablesleeve 11 on which the bobbin is mounted. This is done by providing anannular friction plate (not shown) 0n an end face of the rotatablesleeve adjacent the supported end of the arbor, a brake ring forengaging the friction plate, and releasable means for locking the brakering against rotation about the arbor axis and means for applyingpressure to the brake ring.

Loading and unloading of bobbins B may be eifected whilst the arbor 5,from which an empty bobbin is to be withdrawn and replaced by a fullbobbin, is in any position for which the loading device has beendesigned but we prefer to locate the machine frame in a pit and to loadand unload each bobbin when its supporting arbor is substantiallyhorizontal and is in such a position that the mdrside of the flanges ofits bobbin are at shop floor eve The machine is preferably brought toreset with its tubular shaft 1 in any selected one of eighteen angularpositions in which one or more of its bobbin-carrying arbors 5' is orare in the loading position by means of a series of cam-actuatedswitches and a series of angularly spaced cams (not shown) mounted onthe shaft, one cam for each switch, and means for selectively renderingany one of said switches operative whereby actuation of the selectedswitch occurs when the shaft is in the angular position appertaining tothe particular switch rendered operative. Such actuation serves eitherto cut-off the power drive to the shaft and apply to the shaft a brakingtorque which will suffice to insure that the shaft will come to a stopwhen the selected bobbin-carrying arbor 5 is in the required loading andunloading position or to reduce the speed of the driving motor, leavingthe operations of switches off the motor and the application of thebraking torque required to bring the shaft to rest in the requiredangular position to be initiated by actuation of a further cam switch byeach one of a second series of angularly spaced cams mounted on theshaft. After the operations of unloading an empty bobbin and loading afull bobbin in its place, the actuated switch or switches may bereleased manually or automatically to permit the shaft to rotate furtherto the position in which the next bobbin, or indeed any selected bobbin,can be unloaded and replaced by a full bobbin.

Our prefererd form of bobbin loading and unloading device shown in FIGS.1 and 3 to 5 for use with the example of wire-armouring machine abovedescribed comprises a table 21 mounted on a wheeled carriage 22 runningon a, track 23 at right angles to the machine axis. The track 23 and thecarriage 22 are housed in a pit 24 in the shop floor of which the depthis such that the table 21 is at floor level, so that a bobbin Bpositioned on the table with its axis at right angles to the machineaxis has its axis coincident or approximately coincident with that ofthat one of the ring of arbors that is in the loading position. Thelength of travel of the carriage 22 is sufficient to ensure that in itsretracted position (FIG. 5) it and its bobbin lie clear of the tubularshaft l1, the disc 2 and the ring of arbors 5 and their bobbins as theyplanet about the machine axis and that in its forward position (FIG. 3)the table 21 lies underneath the bobbin B in the loading position.Reciprocating movement in and out of the carriage 22 to effect unloadingand loading is effected by means of a ram operating in a pneumaticcylinder` 25 located in the centre of the track 23. The rails 26 of thetrack 23 are of inverted V-section and the wheels 27 of the carriage 22have complementarily shaped grooved peripheries to eliminate lateralmovement of the carriage and misalignment of its bobbing with the arbor5 in the loading position. It is to be understood that there are anumber of the wheeled carriages 2.2-one for each ring of arbors 'S-eachrunning on a track 23 whose centre line lies in the plane containing theaxes of all the arbors of the ring with which it is associated.

The table 21 of each loading device is formed by a pair of invertedchannel irons 31 which are held in spaced relationship by cross bracingwith a centre-to-centre spacing equal to the flange centre-to-flangecentre spacing of the anges of a bobbin B. The channel members 31 lie atthe front end of the wheel carriage 22, extend right across it from sideto side and on their upper surfaces carry pads 32 of hard steel formingrunways for the flanges of a bobbin B. At their ends each runway 32 isprovided with an upstanding side wall 33, the spacing between which isequal to the overall axial width of a bobbin B as measured at theperipheries of its flanges plus a clearance of the order of 0.125 inch(3.2 mm.). Between the two end side walls 33 on each runway 32 are twoother side walls 34 which are in alignment with the end side walls butseparated from them and from one another by gaps, the central gapbetween the walls 34 being long enough to allow a bobbin to move axiallyacross the table. To this end, the ends of the walls 34 defining thiscentral gap are chamfered at an angle of about 30 to the surface of therunways 32. To arrest and centralize a bobbin B rolling on the runways32 a pair of pivotally supported dogs 35 are projected into the paths ofthe flanges of an approaching bobbinthese being in the gaps at thedeparture ends of the runways. A second pair of pivotally supported dogs45 are projected into the paths of the flanges after passage of abobbin-these being in the gaps at the arrival ends of the runways 32.Each pair of dogs 35 and 45 is projected and withdrawn by means of apiston working in a pneumatic cylinder 36 whose piston rod 37 is coupledto a crank 38 on a shaft 39 extending transversely across the table 21and which also carries two other cranks 40 set at an angle of about 60in 6 advance of the crank 38. The free end of each of the cranks 40carries an arm 41 which lies at an angle of about to it and near whosefree end is a wall 42 projecting at right angles to form thebobbin-arresting part of the dog 35 and 45. The free end 43 itselfextends beyond the wall 42 and, when the dog 35 and 45 is in itsarresting position, overlaps the flange of a bobbin B on the table 21and serves with its complementary part at the opposite end of the tableas a means for pushing a bobbin on to an arbor 5 as the carriage 22advances towards the machine or as a means for pulling a bobbin off itsarbor 5 as the carriage 22 moves away from the machine, dependingwhether the cranks 40 are on the side of the table remote from themachine or on the side nearest the machine. The cylinders 36 of theoperating pistons for the pairs of dogs 35 and 45 are beneath the table21 and at their closed ends are, respectively, pivotally connected to abracket 44 dependent from the table, each cylinder being approximatelyhorizontal when the table 21 is horizontal and at the opposite end ofthe table from the pair of dogs which it operates, the arrangement beingsuch that retraction of the piston rod 37 into its cylinder lowers itsdogs until the walls 42 of its dogs, which engage the rim of the bobbinwhen the dogs are raised, lie ush with the runways 32.

The table 21 is pivoted at its delivery end 28 to the frame of thewheeled carriage 22 and normally rests on the frame. The table 21 can betilted to a height of up to four inches (100 mm.) at its entry end 29 togive the table a slope of up to about one in five and one half when itis required to discharge a bobbin B from the table or to give impetus toa bobbin that is required to pass through the loading device to, say, afurther loading device. Tilting of the table 21 is effected by a thirdpneumatic cylinder 63 placed below the entry end 29 of the table andpivotally mounted in a lower part of the frame of the carriage 22 andnormally having its axis at an angle of to the horizontal. The piston 62of the cylinder 63 is pivotally connected to a bracket 61 dependent froma cross brace member of the table 21.

Mounted on the rear end of the wheeled carriage 22 is a base plate 71having an upstanding wall 72 which is at right angles to the directionof travel of the carriage. The wall 72 has a circular aperture whosecentre is coincident with that of a bobbin B held in the loadingposition on the loading table 21. To the wall 72 is secured a hollowtrunnion which projects towards the loading table 21 and is coaxial withthe aperture in the wall. The trunnion is fitted with a ball thrustbearing, the outer race of which carries a cylinder 76 which projects inthe direction of the table 21 beyond its bearing and terminates in a rimwhich is adapted to enter into a rotary driving engagement with a bobbinB on the loading table. To the rear face of this rotary cylinder 76 issecured a spur gear wheel 78 which at one side is in driving engagementwith a second gear wheel 79 that is driven by a geared air motor -81also mounted on the bed plate '71. An air cylinder 83 is secured at itsfront end within the hollow trunnion secured to the wall 72 andconcentric with it. The piston of the cylinder 83 forms the means forexerting a thrust towards the bobbin-supporting arbor 5 to effectactuation of the plunger 12 and release of the bobbin-locking latches 14as and when required.

Between the tables 21 of successive bobbin-loading devices of a sectionare non-tilting tables 20 so that with the arrestor dogs 35 and 45 intheir inoperative positions a bobbin B can roll right through the fourloading devices of the section on the approach side to a selectedloading device of the section on the departure side. It will beappreciated that the approach side section may be upstream or downstreamwith respect to the machine, depending upon whether full bobbins are fedin the same direction as the direction of travel of wires through themachine or in the counter direction. Between sections, where the gapbetween loaders may be twelve feet or more there are two tables (notshown), each tiltable, as described in our co-pending application No.814,333, led Apr. 8,1969.

The preferred sequence of operations for effecting a re-loading of themachine is as follows:

To unload a substantially empty bobbin B of a particular ring of bobbinsthe machine is indexed to bring it to rest with the bobbin to beunloaded in its unloading position. The loader carriage 22 serving thatparticular ring of bobbins is then caused to move in towards the machineby pressurising the pneumatic ram 30 in the appropriate direction. Theair motor 81 is then energised in a direction to pay olf the remainingwire which is formed into a coil adjacent to the unloading position. Theair cylinders 36 controlling the arrester dogs 35 and 45 are thenpressurised to raise the dogs and locate the bobbin B with respect tothe loading table 21. The air cylinder 83 that is coaxial with thebobbin support arbor is then pressurised and its piston moves forward toactuate the bobbin release plunger 12. The cylinder of the carriagetraverse ram is then pressurised in a direction to pull the carriage 22back to its normal position, the carriage taking the empty bobbin B withit. The piston of the cylinder 83 actuating the release plunger 12 thenretracts. The air cylinder 63l which effects tilting of the loadingtable 21 is then pressurised to tilt the table. Both cylinders 36 of thepiston rods 37 controlling the arrestor dogs and 45 are then pressurisedin the opposite direction to lower the dogs and so allow the emptybobbin B to roll down and off the table 2,1. The table tilt cylinder 63is then pressurised in the opposite direction to lower the table 21.

To load a full bobbin in place of the empty bobbin the cylinder 36controlling the arrester dogs 35 at the deliver end of the table 21 ispressurised to raise the arrestor dogs and a full bobbin is allowed toroll on to the table where it is arrested by the raised dogs.Immediately the cylinder 36 controlling the bobbin retaining dogs 45 atthe entry end of the table 21 is pressurised to raise these retainingdogs. The two sets of dogs 35 and 45 locate the bobbin in alignment withthe arbor 5 that is in the loading position. The cylinder 25 of thecarriage traversing ram 30 and the cylinder -83 of the piston operatingthe bobbin release plunger 12 are then pressurised to move the carriage22 towards the machine axis and release the bobbin-locking latches 14 onthe rotatable bobbin support sleeve 11 of the arbor 5 in the loadingposition to permit the full bobbin to move on to the bobbin supportsleeve. Both cylinders 36 are then pressurised in a direction to retractthe arrestor and retainer dogs 35 and 45 clear of the full bobbin andthe piston of the bobbinlocking device cylinder is retracted to permitthe latches 14 to lock the bobbin axially on its supporting sleeve 11.The air motor 81 then rotates in a direction to allow sucient wire to bedrawn off the full bobbin by the operator to permit the leading end ofthat wire to be welded at a convenient place to the trailing end of thewire drawn from the previously unloaded bobbin. After the weldingoperation, the air motor 81 is then reversed to take up the slack in andto tension the welded lengths of wire. Finally the carriage 22 is movedback into its normal position.

The machine will afterwards be indexed to bring another empty bobbin,not necessarily the neighbouring bobbin, into the unloading and loadingposition and the sequence of operations is repeated, and so on until allempty bobbins in the ring have been replaced by full bobbins.

It will be appreciated that loading of two or more loading stations maybe effected at the same time providing the conveyor arrangements permitof a full bobbin being stored on a table on the supply side of a loadingtable and that storage space for an empty bobbin is provided on a tableon the delivery side of that loading table. "It will also be appreciatedthat the control of the various air cylinders in the required sequencemay be effected by a logic electronic system and the entire operation ofreplacing any particular bobbin by a fresh bobbin (except the cuttingand welding operations) be set in train by the pressing of a singlebutton switch.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A bobbin-loading and unloading device for use with a cable-makingmachine of the kind in which Wires are drawn off from bobbins which arerotatably supported on cantilevered arbors which are carried by at leastone frame rotatable about the machine axis and each of which, as thefame carrying it rotates, can be maintained in a horizontal position andpasses through a loading position once during each revolution of theframe, which device comprises:

(a) a loading table for supporting a bobbin with its axis substantiallyhorizontal,

(b) means for moving said table in a direction transverse to the machineaxis from a normal position in which it and its bobbin are clear of therotating frame of the machine to a forward position and transferring abobbin from the table to a cantilevered arbor in the loading position,and

(c) means for transferring a bobbin from a cantilevered arbor in theloading position to the table and returning the table to its normalposition.

2. A ybobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe device is provided with means for positioning a bobbin on the tablewith its axis substantially coincident with the axis of a cantileveredarbor in the loading position.

3. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe device is provided with poweroperated means for driving a bobbin onan arbor in the loading position in rotation in both a clockwise and acounter-clockwise direction.

4. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 3, whereinthe means for rotatably driving a bobbin on an arbor in the loadingposition comprises a rotary clutch having means to be moved axially intoand out of engagement with a bobbin mounted on the arbor, the clutchbeing power driven as required.

5. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 4, whereinthe rotary clutch is driven by a compressed air motor mounted on theloading device.

6. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 1,including means for constraining the table to be moved in a rectilinearsubstantially horizontal path normal to the machine axis from the normalposition to a forward position where the table lies beneath the arbor tobe loaded.

7. A bobbin-loading and unloading device for use with a cable-makingmachine of the kind in which wires are drawn off from bobbins which arerotatably supported on cantilevered arbors which are carried by at leastone frame rotatable about the machine axis and each of which, as theframe carrying it rotates, can be maintained in a horizontal positionand passes through a loading position once during each revolution of theframe, which device comprises:

(a) a loading table for supporting a bobbin with its axis substantiallyhorizontal,

(b) stop means for arresting a bobbin rolling on its flanges along apath parallel to the machine axis and on to the loading table andpositioning the bobbin on the table with its axis substantiallycoincident with the axis of a cantilevered arbor in the loadingposition,

(c) means for moving said table in a rectilinear substantiallyhorizontal path normal to the machine axis from a normal position inwhich it and its bobbin are clear of the rotating frame of the machineto a forward position where the table lies beneath the arbor to beloaded and transferring a bobbin from the table to a cantilevered arborin the loading position, and l (d) means for transferring a bobbin froma cantilevered arbor in the loading position to the table and returningthe table to its normal position.

8. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 7, whereinthe device is incorporated in a conve'yor along which bobbins can rollon their anges and of which a part is constituted by the loading tablewhen in its normal position, the stop means being retractable so thatwhen necessary bobbins can roll across the loading table.

9. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 8, whereinthe stop means comprises retractable members on opposite sides of thetable each adapted also to engage the outer face of a flange of abobbin.

10. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 9, whereinthe stop means comprises two pairs of substantially L-shaped dogspivotally supported on axes lying at right angles to the machine axis,the pairs of dogs being located at opposite ends of the table so as toproject into the paths of the llanges of a bobbin with one limb of eachL-shaped dog adapted to engage the outer face of a bobbin ange and beingcaused to pivot by means of fluid-operated pistons.

11. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim '9,wherein means is provided for temporarily tilting the loading tableabout a horizontal axis at right angles to the machine axis to cause anempty bobbin to roll olf the loading table and on to the conveyor afterthe stop means at the lower end of the tilted table has been retracted.

12. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 11,wherein the table-tilting means comprises a fluid-operated piston.

13. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 7, whereinpower-operated means `is provided for driving a bobbin on an arbor inthe loading position in rotation in both a clockwise and acounter-clockwise direction.

14. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 7, whereinthe loading table is caused to reciprocate between its normal positionand its forward position by means of a fluid-operated ram.

15. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 7, whereinthe loading table is mounted on a wheeled carriage running on a tracktransverse to the machine axis.

16. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 15,wherein the track and carriage are housed in a pit of which the depth issuch that the loading table is at substantially ground level.

17. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 7, whereinthe table carries means for effecting release of a device locking abobbin on a cantilevered arbor.

18. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 17,wherein the means for releasing the bobbinlocking device is actuated bya Huid-operated piston.

19. In combination with a cable-making machine of the kind in whichwires are drawn off from bobbins which are rotatably supported on aplurality of groups of cantilevered arbors carried by frames rotatableabout the machine axis, each arbor, as the frame carrying it rotates,being capable of being maintained in a horizontal position and passingthrough a loading position once during each revolution of the frame, aplurality of bobbin-loading and unloading devices as claimed in claim 7,one device being associated with each group of arbors.

20. In combination with the cable-making machine and bobbin-loading andunloading devices claimed in claim 19, a bobbin conveyor disposedalongside the cablemaking machine of which sections are constituted bythe loading tables of the bobbin-loading and unloading devices.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,451,754 10/ 1948 Larmuth et al.57-52X 3,055,164 9/1962 Ltcke 57-58.34X 3,429,115 2/1969 Purdy et al.57-52 3,468,115 9/1969 Goodfellow et al. 57--52 STANLEY N. GILREATH,Primary Examiner W. H. SCHROEDER, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 57-58.34

